But pharmacy graduate Lawrence knows a formula for winning international races - as she showed recently in Holland.

The 28-year-old former North of England cross-country champion is a latecomer to the sport.

However, she is improving fast and has eyes on a Commonwealth Games spot for Melbourne next March.

"I'm coming into Sunday's race as well as I could hope for," Lawrence told M.E.N. Sport, official media partners for the event. I won a European Cup race in Holten a few weeks ago and some of the girls from there will be in the starting line-up this weekend.

"It's a big race because it also acts as the British Championship and towards selection for the World and European Championships.

"I was ninth in last year's British Championship so I'm hoping to improve on that position," adds Lawrence who recently completed her Masters course at Liverpool John Moores University.

The women's race is wide open with the likes of Michelle Dillon, Leander Cave, Liz Blatchford plus Andrea Whitcombe, who won a World Cup race in Canada a few weeks ago.

"I certainly would expect Britain to get among the medals because Tim Don and Stuart Hayes have been going well.

"And Andrew Johns raced in Holten and won the men's race."

The elite women's race starts at 11am in Dock Nine at Salford Quays. The elite men's event gets under way at 1pm and the first age group racers go off at 7am.